RankingsPublished Feb 5, 2026•12 min read

Fastest-Growing Health Care Jobs in 2026

Nurse practitioners are growing at 40%—13 times the national average. Home health aides will add 681,000 positions—the largest increase of any occupation BLS tracks. The health care workforce is expanding faster than any other sector, and not evenly.

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HealthJob

Editorial Team

Editorial illustration of a massive upward arrow formed by dozens of human figures in motion, representing explosive career growth

The U.S. health care industry is projected to add 2 million jobs over the next decade—more than any other sector—while the economy as a whole grows just 3.1%. BLS data reveals a stark divide: advanced practice roles like nurse practitioners (40% growth) and physician assistants (28%) are expanding at rates 9 to 13 times the national average, while traditional administrative positions face automation-driven decline.

This analysis ranks 50 health care occupations by BLS projected growth rate through 2034, using the September 2024 employment projections release. Growth rate alone does not tell the full story—a career growing at 40% and adding 128,400 positions looks different from one growing at 17% but adding 681,000. Both growth rate and absolute job creation matter for anyone deciding where to invest their training time.

The pattern is unambiguous: careers that require human judgment, direct patient interaction, and specialized clinical skills are surging. One-third of active physicians will be over 65 by 2032, while the 65+ population grows from 59.7 million to 72.5 million. The people who need the most care are multiplying; the doctors who provide it are retiring. That collision is reshaping the entire health care workforce.

Key Findings

  • •NPs lead all health care: Nurse practitioners at 40% growth will add 128,400 jobs across 320,400 existing positions—42 states now grant near-full practice authority, and NPs already provide one-third of U.S. primary care.
  • •Volume outweighs rate: Home health aides will add 681,000 jobs—the single largest increase of any of the 832 occupations BLS tracks—despite a 17.4% rate that looks moderate next to NP’s 40%.
  • •The physician shortage drives the top two: The AAMC projects a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036. Nurse practitioner and physician assistant roles—the two fastest-growing—are expanding specifically to fill that gap.
  • •Athletic trainers are a surprise entrant: Athletic trainer at 17.3% growth ranks No. 4—driven by expanding youth sports participation and a shift toward workplace injury prevention beyond traditional sports settings.
  • •Certificate paths keep pace: Medical assistant (14.8% growth, 774,100 positions) and community health worker (11.2%) prove you do not need a master’s degree to enter one of the fastest-growing health care tracks.

Job Growth vs Number of Jobs

Each dot is a health care career. Upper-right = high growth + high availability (best opportunities). Hover or tap for details.

Growth Rate %
102030401k10k100k1.0MNurse Pract.Physician Asst.Home HealthAthletic Tr.Genetic Couns.Med AssistantPhysical Ther. AssistantCommunity HealthCertified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)RN
Number of Jobs (log scale)
Patient Care
Support & Admin
Laboratory
Allied Health
Hover or tap a dot for details.

Chart Insights

  • •Sweet spot (upper-right): Medical assistant (14.8%, 774,100 jobs), PT assistant (14.2%, 98,700 jobs), and community health worker (11.2%, 68,100 jobs) combine strong growth with significant existing job counts—meaning both rates and volume favor these careers.
  • •High growth, competitive entry: Nurse practitioner (40%, $129,000) and physician assistant (28%, $130,000)—fewer total positions but exceptional salaries and the physician shortage guarantee long-term demand.
  • •Volume play: Home health aides sit in the high-availability zone with 3.7 million existing positions and 681,000 new jobs projected—the most of any occupation in the economy.

Top 10 Fastest-Growing Careers

The careers with the highest projected growth rates—and why they’re booming.

1

Nurse Practitioner

Patient Care
Job Growth (10 yr)
40.0%
Median Salary
$129k/yr
Education
Master's Degree
Current Jobs
307,390
What they do
Provide primary and specialty care, diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications, and manage chronic conditions independently or in collaboration with physicians.
Why it's growing
Nurse practitioners lead all health care at 40% growth across 320,400 existing positions—42 states now grant near-full practice authority, and NPs already provide one-third of U.S. primary care as the physician shortage deepens.
View full career details
2

Physician Assistant

Patient Care
Job Growth (10 yr)
28.0%
Median Salary
$133k/yr
Education
Master's Degree
Current Jobs
155,540
What they do
Examine, diagnose, and treat patients under physician supervision in hospitals, clinics, and private practices.
Why it's growing
The AAMC projects a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036; PA supply is projected to increase 28% across 148,000 positions to fill the gap, with prescriptive authority and surgical assist privileges expanding scope.
View full career details
3

Home Health Aide

Patient Care
Job Growth (10 yr)
17.4%
Median Salary
$35k/yr
Education
High School Diploma
Current Jobs
3,988,140
What they do
Provide personal care and support services to elderly, disabled, or chronically ill individuals in their homes.
Why it's growing
BLS projects 681,000 new positions—the largest increase of any occupation—across 3.7 million existing jobs, driven by aging-in-place preference and nursing facility declines.
View full career details
4

Athletic Trainer

Allied Health
Job Growth (10 yr)
17.3%
Median Salary
$60k/yr
Education
Master's Degree
Current Jobs
28,950
What they do
Prevent, diagnose, and treat muscle and bone injuries for athletes and physically active people.
Why it's growing
17.3% growth is driven by expanding youth sports participation and a shift toward workplace injury prevention programs that move demand beyond traditional sports settings into corporate and industrial environments.
View full career details
5

Genetic Counselor

Patient Care
Job Growth (10 yr)
16.0%
Median Salary
$99k/yr
Education
Master's Degree
Current Jobs
3,510
What they do
Assess individual or family risk for genetic conditions, interpret test results, and provide counseling about treatment options.
Why it's growing
16% growth on a small base of just 5,300 positions—genomic medicine expansion and falling genetic test costs create surging demand for professionals who can interpret results and guide clinical decisions.
View full career details
6

Medical Assistant

Support & Admin
Job Growth (10 yr)
14.8%
Median Salary
$44k/yr
Education
Postsecondary Certificate
Current Jobs
793,460
What they do
Perform clinical and administrative tasks in physicians’ offices, hospitals, and other health care facilities.
Why it's growing
14.8% growth across 774,100 existing positions—primary care expansion and team-based care models rely on medical assistants to handle routine clinical tasks so physicians can see more patients.
View full career details
7

Physical Therapist Assistant

Patient Care
Job Growth (10 yr)
14.2%
Median Salary
$66k/yr
Education
Associate Degree
Current Jobs
108,010
What they do
Carry out physical therapy treatment plans under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist.
Why it's growing
14.2% growth reflects overflowing physical therapist demand—PTAs provide cost-effective care delivery with only an associate degree, making them essential to scaling rehabilitation services.
View full career details
8

Community Health Worker

Patient Care
Job Growth (10 yr)
11.2%
Median Salary
$51k/yr
Education
Postsecondary Certificate
Current Jobs
60,730
What they do
Connect community members to health care resources, provide health education, and assist with care coordination in underserved areas.
Why it's growing
11.2% growth fueled by social determinants of health investment and chronic disease prevention programs at the state level—Medicaid expansion is increasing demand for workers who bridge health care and community needs.
View full career details
9

Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)

Patient Care
Job Growth (10 yr)
11.0%
Median Salary
$129k/yr
Education
Master's Degree
Current Jobs
8,280
What they do
Provide prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum care; manage gynecological health and family planning services.
Why it's growing
11% growth on 8,600 positions driven by an OB/GYN shortage affecting half of U.S. counties—expanding scope-of-practice laws let CNMs manage entire birth center teams with full prescriptive authority.
View full career details
10

Occupational Therapist

Patient Care
Job Growth (10 yr)
10.5%
Median Salary
$98k/yr
Education
Master's Degree
Current Jobs
152,280
What they do
Health care professional providing essential medical services.
Why it's growing
Strong demand driven by aging population and health care system expansion.
View full career details

Job Growth Rates for All Health Care Careers

Sortable table with growth rates, salaries, and education requirements for every career tracked.

#1
Nurse Practitioner
Growth %
40.0%
Very Fast
Salary: $129k/yr
Number of Jobs: 307,390
Education: Master's Degree
#2
Physician Assistant
Growth %
28.0%
Very Fast
Salary: $133k/yr
Number of Jobs: 155,540
Education: Master's Degree
#3
Home Health Aide
Growth %
17.4%
Very Fast
Salary: $35k/yr
Number of Jobs: 3,988,140
Education: High School Diploma
#4
Athletic Trainer
Growth %
17.3%
Very Fast
Salary: $60k/yr
Number of Jobs: 28,950
Education: Master's Degree
#5
Genetic Counselor
Growth %
16.0%
Very Fast
Salary: $99k/yr
Number of Jobs: 3,510
Education: Master's Degree
#6
Medical Assistant
Growth %
14.8%
Fast
Salary: $44k/yr
Number of Jobs: 793,460
Education: Postsecondary Certificate
#7
Physical Therapist Assistant
Growth %
14.2%
Fast
Salary: $66k/yr
Number of Jobs: 108,010
Education: Associate Degree
#8
Community Health Worker
Growth %
11.2%
Fast
Salary: $51k/yr
Number of Jobs: 60,730
Education: Postsecondary Certificate
#9
Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)
Growth %
11.0%
Fast
Salary: $129k/yr
Number of Jobs: 8,280
Education: Master's Degree
#10
Occupational Therapist
Growth %
10.5%
Fast
Salary: $98k/yr
Number of Jobs: 152,280
Education: Master's Degree
#11
Ultrasound Technician
Growth %
10.2%
Fast
Salary: $89k/yr
Number of Jobs: 86,460
Education: Associate Degree
#12
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
Growth %
10.2%
Fast
Salary: $89k/yr
Number of Jobs: 86,460
Education: Associate Degree
#13
Audiologist
Growth %
10.0%
Fast
Salary: $92k/yr
Number of Jobs: 14,730
Education: Doctoral Degree
#14
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Growth %
9.9%
Fast
Salary: $68k/yr
Number of Jobs: 47,910
Education: Associate Degree
#15
Orthotist and Prosthetist
Growth %
9.8%
Fast
Salary: $78k/yr
Number of Jobs: 9,930
Education: Master's Degree
#16
Speech-Language Pathologist
Growth %
9.6%
Fast
Salary: $95k/yr
Number of Jobs: 178,790
Education: Master's Degree
#17
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
Growth %
9.0%
Fast
Salary: $223k/yr
Number of Jobs: 50,350
Education: Doctoral Degree
#18
Respiratory Therapist
Growth %
8.4%
Fast
Salary: $80k/yr
Number of Jobs: 136,420
Education: Associate Degree
#19
Patient Care Coordinator
Growth %
8.1%
Fast
Salary: $63k/yr
Number of Jobs: 463,700
Education: Associate Degree
#20
Sleep Technologist
Growth %
8.1%
Fast
Salary: $60k/yr
Number of Jobs: 13,900
Education: Associate Degree

Sources

Methodology

Job growth projections are based on Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Employment Projections for the 2024-2034 decade, published September 2024. Growth rate = percentage change in jobs. "Very Fast" (15%+), "Fast" (7–14%), "Average" (3–6%), "Below Average" (0–2%), "Declining" (negative). The national average growth rate across all occupations is 3.1%. Projections assume continuation of current economic trends and health care policy.